Written by

Karlanna Lewis

Senior Staff Writer

Once a Seminole, always a Seminole—and Seminoles band together to take care of their own.

Former Florida State lineman and defensive MVP Edgar “T.O.” Ter-Oganessian took care of his teammates on the field, but since graduating in 2004, he has had to face his toughest opponent yet: cancer.

“It’s like that country song, ‘When you’re going through hell, just keep on going,’” T.O. said. “I’ve just been chugging along, always trying to do my best.”

After working as an advisor at FSU, T.O. began a master’s program in social science public administration in 2008, but a doctor’s visit quickly changed his plans.

The day he was diagnosed with cancer, some of the first people T.O. told were his Omega Psi Phi fraternity brothers, including FSU alumnus Cendino Teme.

“I was just so surprised,” Teme said. “At first we didn’t understand the severity. T.O. is really strong, and maybe just not to worry everyone he had a positive, upbeat spirit about it. He didn’t say he was permanently ill. He just said they found something, and they might have to do some tests.”

In the early stages of his cancer, T.O.’s closest friends and fraternity brothers, including FSU alumnus Junior Bernadin, said they weren’t sure how much help he needed.

“He’s been a really tough spirit,” Bernadin said. “When he first found out, he said he really didn’t need anything, but he just wanted us to keep him in our prayers.”After receiving treatment, T.O.’s cancer went into remission, but has come back several times.

“On his thirtieth birthday, he sent a message to some of his friends saying he hopes to have the opportunity to celebrate many more, but he might need help this time,” Bernadin said. “It was really hard to hear. T.O.’s normally the life of the party—vibrant, energetic. He’s normally the one who would help.”

Rhabdomyosarcoma, the cancer infecting T.O., is rare in adults and affects muscles attached to bones. The cancer, which began in T.O.’s inner thigh, at one point spread to his vital organs and necessitated an Emergency Room visit.

“There are so many people sick,” T.O. said. “I’m not special. We’re just relying on the power of friendship, the power of the community coming together. I recently had a high school buddy pass away from cancer. It’s become such a young disease. It can affect anybody. They told me I wasn’t going to make it a year, and here I am four years later.”

Because T.O.’s treatments are three to four thousand dollars a month, Bernadin said T.O. has been reaching out to the Seminole Nation for financial support. Dedicated to keep T.O. in the fight, Bernadin created www.giveforward.com/followupcancertreatmentforTO, asking others to donate.

“I wanted to find a centralized interface for us to help,” Bernadin said. “People were sending donations directly to him, but I wanted to have something permanent to share his story. […] I started sending messages to former Florida State players. We just had an outpouring of support from friends and family.”

A true Seminole, T.O. continued to work as an advisor at FSU for the first several years of the fight.

“I was advising students with no eyebrows, bald,” T.O. said. “Some kids come in, ‘My life sucks. I’m failing English.’ I tell them don’t worry about it. English will be fine. I tell them my story about how I’m working and trying to finish my degree while dealing with this. I’m hoping to get back to the regular Seminole life. I’m just trying to get back home and stay healthy, and be at the game. Sometimes you take those things for granted. You’ve got to be able to laugh it off.”

T.O.’s story has been profiled on giveforward.com and even on national news. One stranger who saw T.O.’s story helped make one of his dreams come true—T.O. recently met boxer Mike Tyson, one of his childhood idols.

“How Mike Tyson fought gives him the inspiration to fight through the cancer as well,” Teme said. “When he went to meet Mike Tyson at his home, he gave him his ACC Championship ring, and Mike Tyson gave him a pair of his black boxing trunks he wore in fights.”

Although the cancer is now in partial remission, the FSU alumnus’s struggle is ongoing. Bernadin said Florida State students are now helping out one of their own.“We’re reaching out to the Seminole Nation,” Bernadin said. “Part of our Seminole Creed is to help out those around us. He did a lot with the athletics program because he wanted to focus on helping people and helping student athletes. Friendship is essential to his soul. Our goal is to see him better—to see him cured. I don’t get fulfillment out of raising money for him—my fulfillment comes from him being cured, living life and enjoying things the way he was before.”

Amanda Spann, who graduated from FSU in 2009, heard about T.O.’s story through mutual friends and started supporting T.O.’s fight.

“We’re reaching out to the whole student body,” Spann said, “Hopefully if we get the whole student body on board, we can raise enough money for his treatment.”